Shuttle-changing mechanism for looms



Mms, 1925. y 1,528,008

, G. CROMPTON, JR

SHUTTLE CHANGING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed Sept. 25, 1922 Patentedr Mar. 3, 1925e UNITED PATENT OFFICE.

GEoRGEfcnoMr'roNJn., or'. WORGESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, AssIGNoR. To ROBERT c. Pimm, or wom:ESTER,y MAssAcHUsErTsi SHUTTLE-CHANGING, lvlflitGIA-NISM?v FOR LOOMS.

Application filed September 25, 1922. Serial No. 590,512.

spaced groups-of warp. threads'inorder'to l simultaneously weave a number of separate strips of narrow fabric, such for' example,

as tape or ribbon., Myv iiivent'iony relatesY more particularlyvto that class of narrow'v ware looms familiarly known as double deck, wherein twov sets off fabrics are simultaneously woven one above th'e other, thus enabling one loomV to weave twice'as many" fabrics as are woven cna single deck'loom havingthe samefrontagel/ n In my copendinjg. applicatiom Serial' No; 504,869, inedV October 3, 19.21, there is shownand 4described aninipr'oved shuttle changing mechanism for narrow ware looms', byl means of which the shuttles may be changed either individually, or collectively, on any desired pick of the` loom 'without interrupting the operation of the same,l and my copendin'gf application, Serial No. 567,719, lfiled Junev 12', 1922, there is shown and described a shuttle changingy mechanism ofthe same general type as set forthin the first mentioned application, withthe additional provision of means whereby the entire mechanism may be caused to operate automatically to bring about a transfer of shuttles Vafter the latter have made a predetermined 'number of picks.

The object of :the present invention is to provide an improved Y shuttle changing mechanism embodying, the Asame general principles of operation as disclosedin my above mentioned V,co-.pending application-s, whereby the shuttles kof a double declinar.- row Ware leem. may be- .chfgedganer V'the shuttles .in each@ deck" have. been exhausted t@ a predetermined degree. I The above Land other advantageeas featuresv or 'invention Y will hereinafter; .1art1-a--raliy` appear, ,reference beingha'd to the accompanying drawingsin which-el l s Fig. l'is a view infront elevation of a portion of' double deck loomprovided with' ai shuttle changing mechanism embodying my invention.

,Fig 2 is au vertical sectional; View alongl thelne 2 2, Fig; 1.

Figiy Sis a vertical` sectional view along: theV line 3 3, Fig. 1.

Fig'. 4 is'an enlarged pla-n view' showing` an upper shuttle holden Fig. 5i's` an enlarged' plan view showing an intermediate shuttle holder.

Fig 6 is a vertical sectional' view alongv the line 6 6 ofFig.

Like reference characters refer tof like parts in the different; figures;

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, a portion of the lay of a loomY is indicated at 1, and has mounted thereon two sets of shuttle carriers. 2 and 5 arranged one above the other and adapted to be movedback and forth in unison by means vof the. usual toothed racks in engagement with pinions adapted to drive the carriers. -The lowerV set of carriers 2 are adapted to operate between lower race blocks 3 and intermediate race blocks4, while. the upper set of carriers 5 are `adapted to operate between the intermediate race blocks 4 and upper race blocksv 6. The rack for driving the lower carriers 2 is indicated at 8,'and the rack for driving the upper carriers 5 is indicated at 7. The several spaces between the ytiers of race blocks 3, 4 and 6 are each occupied byv lower and upper groups'of warp threads 9 and l0, which are connected to the loom harnesses insuch a manner as to constitute interlocking sheds, arranged one above the other, through which the respective sets of shuttle carriers 2 and 5 are to be driven back and forth.

As best shown in Fig. 4, every other upper block 6 is provided with a shuttle holder 11, the details of which form no partof the present invention, but are fully shown and described in the above mentioned copending application, Serial No. 504,869. Each holderfll'ismadapted ,to coact with end plates 21,2V provided on a shuttle 13, to hold the shuttle in position against movement in a'subvstantially' horizontal plane, and at the same timek to permitjhe shuttle lto *be moved vertically. Each of the carriers 2 and 5 is provided with a device for engaging and holding a shuttle 13 as it is moved downwardly, whereby the shuttle is firmly held in position on the carrier. As fully set forth in the above mentioned copending application, Serial No. 504,869, each of such devices consists of coasting rigid and resilient portions mounted on the shuttle and carrier respectively, and it is not believed necessary to further describe the same herein.

is best shown in Figs. 5 and 6, every other intermediate block 4 is provided with a pair of lugs 14, spaced apart by a distance substantially equal to the overall length of a shuttle 13, and provided with grooves 15 for receiving the end plates 12 of the shuttle 13. A latch 16 is mounted on each lug 14 and extends to a point below the grooves l5 so as to yieldingly support the end plate 12 of the shuttle 13V in the groove 15, the latch 16 being adapted to yield upon the application -of a downward force to the shuttle 13.

A transferrer 17 is provided above each shuttle holder 11 and is carried on an operating rod 13, slidably mounted on the lay 1. Up and down movement is adapted to be imparted to the rod 18 by means of a bell crank lever 19 operated by a plunger 20. As fully set forth and described in my above mentioned copending application, Serial No. 567,719, the plunger 20 is adapted to be automatically operated to cause the transferrer 17 to be moved downwardly to bring about a transfer of shuttles 13 after a give-n set of shuttles have made a predetermined number of picks, as will be hereinafter referred to.

Every other lower block 3 is provided with a pair of stops 21 for limiting the downward movement of a shuttle 13 as it is positioned in the lower carrier 2 by the transferrer 17. As fully set forth and described in my above mentioned copending application, Serial No. 504,869, the stops 21 are normally held clear of the lowermost shuttle 13, so that the latter may be ejected from its carrier 2 upon downward movement of the transferrer 17. The stops 21 are, however, adapted to be projected outwardly far enough to limit downward movement of a new shuttle entering the carrier 2 at the end of the downward movement of the actuating rod 18.

Every other one of the blocks 3, 4 and 6 is provided with a pair of rollers 22, 23 and 24 respectively, for the purpose of lining up the shuttles 13 horizontally on the carriers 2 and 5. As Va set of shuttles 13 are moved by the carriers 2, they pass between sets of rollers 22 and 23 which tend to properly aline the shuttles on the carriers and therefore correct any misalinement which may Ahave occurred, due to the vibration of the loom. The shuttles 13 on the carriers 5 are similarly alined by the action of the rollers 23 and 24.

ln the operation of double deck narrow ware looms, it may be desired to run the, different sets of shuttles in either the same, or in opposite directions. In case the shuttles should be operated in the same directon, it is obvious that the rollers 23 on the intermediate blocls 4 would have turning moments applied thereto in opposite directions, and that the rollers 23 would turn in the direction of the greatest moment. This action would not offset the'alining of the shuttles by the rollers 23, as the rollers are not used solely for the purpose of reducing friction, but rather in order to distribute the wear between the shuttles and the rollers over as great a surface as possible. Consequently, it is more or less immaterial that the intermediate rollers 23 Vare, at times, turned first in one direction and then in another.

Having thus described the variouslparts entering into my invention, the operation thereof is as follows Let it be assumed that the loom is first operated with full shuttles in the upper carriers 5. and the holders 11, and that the mechanism controlling the operation of the transferrer 17 is so set as to cause operation of the transferrer 17 when substantially one-half the filling on the active shuttles has been run out. Upon the operation of the transferrer 17, thepartially exhausted shuttles will be. ejected from the carriers 5 and the fresh shuttles from the holders 11 substituted therefor. The partially exhausted shuttles will then be held between the lugs 14 on the intermediate blocks 4 by the latches 16. rlhe loom will continue to operate as before until substantially .one-half of the filling in the fresh shuttles in the carriers 5 has been exhausted, whereupon the transferrers 17 will again operate to insert fresh shuttles from the holders 11 to the. carriers 5. When this occurs, the partially exhausted shuttles on the intermediate blocks 4 will be inserted in the lower carriers 2, the latches 16 yielding upon the application of downward pressure by the transfer-rer 17.

Both sets of carriers 2 and 5 will then be operating with active shuttles, so as to simultaneously weave two sets of fabrics by cooperation of the warp threads 9 and 10, the upper carriers 5 operating with substantially fresh shuttles, while the lower carriers 2 operate with shuttles having substantially one-half of the filling run out. lNhen the transferrers 17 next operate, it is obvious that the shuttles on the carriers 2 will have been substantially exhausted, and that these shuttles will be ejected and allowed to fall into the discharge passages 25. which are provided in the lay 1, as described CII in my above mentioned copending application, Serial No. 567,719.

From the foregoing, it is apparent then that with my improved shuttle changing` mechanism as described above, the loom will continue to weave two sets Vof fabrics so long as the holders l1 are provided with fresh shuttles following each operation of the transferrers 17. Any given set of shuttles inserted in the holders 1l will first be operated by the upper carriers 5, and upon the exhaustion of substantially one-half of the filling thereon, will be automatically transferred to the carriers 2 for running ofi' the remainder of the filling after remaining on the intermediate blocks 4 a period equal to the intervals between the operations of the transferrers 17.

lVhile I have shown my invention as being embodied in a double deck narrow ware loom, that is, a loom employing two sets of active shuttles arranged one above the other, it is obvious that it may as well be employed in connection with looms adapted to simultaneously weave more than two sets of fabrics. If, for example, it should be desired to employ my shuttle changing mechanism in connection with a triple deck or quadruple deck loom, it would only be necessary to so arrange the mechanism for op# erating the transferrers so as to cause them to be operated after the shuttles in the topmost carriers have been either one-third or one-fourth exhausted. Various other modifications may be carried out without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and I desire therefore that only such limitations be imposed thereon as may come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claiml. In a loom, a lay, on said lay two series of shuttles, one series being superimposed upon the other series, and means for replenishing the weft simultaneously in each series.

2. In a loom, a lay, a set of carriers on said lay located one above the other, shuttles held by said carriers for weaving a plurality of fabrics one above the other, spare shuttles carried on said lay, and a transferrer cooperating with said spare shuttles to move said spare shuttles into said carriers.

8. In a loom, a lay, a set of carriers on said lay located one above the other, shuttles held by said carriers for weaving a plurality of fabrics one above the other, and a transferrer to eject said shuttles from said carriers.

4. In a loom, a lay, a set ofvcarriers on said lay located one above the other, shuttles with different degrees of filling exhaustion held by said carriers for weaving a plurality of fabrics one above the other, and a transferrer to move said shuttles with respect to said carriers.

5. In a loom, a lay, a plurality of shuttle carriers operatively connected to said lay one above the other, a plurality of shuttles to fit in said. carriers, and a transferrer to cause a given shuttle to operate lirst in one carrier and then in another.

6. In a loom, a lay, a plurality of shuttle carriers operatively connected to said lay one above the other, a plurality of shuttles to fit in said carriers, and a transferrer to cause a given shuttle to operate first in one carrier until a given degree of filling exhaustion is obtained and later to operate in another carrier.

7. In a loom, a lay, a plurality of shuttle carriers operatively connected to said lay one above the other, shuttle holders, a plurality of shuttles, and transferring means to cause said shuttles to move from holders to carriers and from carriers to holders and to be ejected, in a predetermined progression.

L8. In a loom for simultaneously weaving a number of separate fabrics one above the other, a carrier for operating a shuttle to Weave one fabric until a predetermined degree of iilling exhaustion is obtained, another carrier, and transferrer means for placing said shuttle in said other carrier to weave a different fabric.

9. In a loom, a plurality of shuttle carriers operating one above the other and carrying shuttles, spare shuttles above each of said carriers, all of said shuttles being adapted to be moved in unison, thereby ejecting the lowermost shuttle.

10. In a loom, a plurality of shuttle carriers operating one above the other and carrying shuttles, spare shuttles above each of said carriers, and means for moving all of said shuttles in unison to eject the lowermost shuttle. y

Dated this 19th day of September, 1922.

GEORGE CROMPTON, JR. 

